WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9
Golf Tournament
7:30 AM | La Paloma Country Club, 3660 E. Sunrise Drive, Tucson, AZ 85718
If you are participating in the tournament, please meet the group at the Golf Course cart area by 7:15 a.m. Costs for golf is $89 plus tax for golf and cart. There will be no raffle prizes, but we will have prize holes for longest drive (men and women), longest putt, and closest to the pin. ($50 for each prize hole) The winning team will receive a free 4some at La Paloma, sleeves of balls, plus cash or gift cards. Second place will receive a prize as well. This is the “Best Networking event at the conference and you will receive all the Vitamin D you will need for the whole week in one day.” Golf is organized separately by Brian Wright of Eloy. If you are interested in participating, please e-mail Brian at bwright@eloyaz.gov
Registration Opens
9:00 AM | Arizona Foyer
Water and Wastewater Rates: Challenges for Arizona Utilities
10:30 – 11:30 AM | Grand Ballroom
1 CPE
This will be a high-level discussion centering on successful strategies for implementing water and wastewater rate plans. It will point out that despite the perception of most that rate increases are not politically possible, if done right rate plans can indeed be successfully implemented. This is not a technical seminar on ratemaking; it is a discussion about how a city can implement new rate plans in a way that minimizes the impact on ratepayers while getting them the revenue they need to fund operations.
Speaker:
Dan Jackson, Vice President, Willdan
Documents:
Presentation
Break/Lunch on Your Own
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Education Committee Meeting
11:45 AM – 12:45 PM | Aster
Bonds: Best Practices of Long-Term Debt Financing
1:00 – 1:50 PM | Grand Ballroom
1 CPE
Long-term debt financing for capital projects can be complicated and expensive with numerous individuals involved in bond transactions. This session will discuss the best practices and policies by GFOA for financial professionals to use in planning and participating in bond transactions. There will also be a discussion from the panel as to what the role of bond counsel versus financial advisor versus an underwriter entail. This understanding is important because each of their services impacts the cost of issuing bonds, and the issuing entity will be paying them back through debt service payments for 20 to 30 years.
Speakers:
Mike Bailey, Financial Consultant
Scott Connelly, Finance Director, WIFA
Pat Walker, Financial Consultant
Documents:
Presentation
Refreshment Break & Sponsor Networking
2:00 – 2:30 PM | Arizona Foyer
Keynote – Basically Incredible (Part 1)
2:30 – 4:30 PM | Grand Ballroom
2 CPEs
In an age of overnight successes, twenty-one-day fixes, diet pills, & sensational viral videos, it’s easy to skip past the fundamentals. Embrace a basically incredible life guided by common sense and simple, effective tools.
Speaker:
Matt Booth, Speaker, Author, Coach
Membership Committee Meeting
4:40 – 5:30 PM | Aster
New Member Meet & Greet
5:30 – 5:45 PM | Arizona Foyer
Reception
5:45 – 6:45 PM | Arizona Foyer
THURSDAY, AUGUST 10
Breakfast
7:30 – 8:15 AM | Arizona Foyer
Keynote – Basically Incredible (Part 2)
8:30 – 9:20 AM | Grand Ballroom
1 CPE
In an age of overnight successes, twenty-one-day fixes, diet pills, & sensational viral videos, it’s easy to skip past the fundamentals. Embrace a basically incredible life guided by common sense and simple, effective tools.
Speaker:
Matt Booth, Speaker, Author, Coach
Transportation Grants 101, State Match Advantage for Rural Transportation (AZ SMART) Fund Program and Legislative Appropriations and Federal Earmarks
9:30 – 11:20 AM | Grand Ballroom
2 CPEs
This session hopes to help GFOAz members navigate available resources and maximize opportunities to serve our constituents. ADOT Multimodal Planning Division experts present federal, state, and regional funding sources with avenues for success. In addition to better understanding new and discretionary federal resources, delegates from 85 cities/towns and 13 counties will gain insight on the AZ SMART Fund Program.Speakers:
Speakers:
Lisa Danka, Programming Manager, ADOT Multimodal Planning Division
Dr. Kohinoor Kar, Research Center Lead, ADOT Multimodal Planning Division
Documents:
Presentation
Lunch & Annual Business Meeting
11:30 AM – 12:50 PM | Canyon Ballroom
Cash Flow, Investing, and Financial Forecasting
1:00 – 1:50 PM | Grand Ballroom
1 CPE
Over the last few years, Local Governments have experienced major changes to their cash flows due to the pandemic, stimulus funds, and economic changes. During this session, we will introduce and explore key considerations in developing cash flow projections, investment strategies for different types of funds (including bond proceeds), and earnings projection analyses.
Speakers:
Annette Gaston, Senior Managing Consultant, PFM Asset Management
Luke Schneider, Managing Director, PFM Asset Management
Documents:
Presentation
Financial and Legal Aspects of General Obligation Bonds and Bond Elections
2:00 – 2:50 PM | Grand Ballroom
1 CPE
Learn about current conditions in the municipal bond market and factors impacting interest rates, as well as the financial and legal details regarding GO bond issuance and bond elections.
Speakers:
Thomas Carlson, Director, Investment Banker, Arizona Municipal Finance Group, RBC Capital Markets
Timothy Stratton, Managing Partner, The Stratton Law Firm, PLLC
Documents:
Presentation
Refreshment Break
2:50 – 3:10 PM | Arizona Foyer
Grants, SEFA and CFR 200 Compliance: Tips for a successful single audit and compliance audit trends
3:15 – 4:45 PM | Grand Ballroom
1.5 CPEs
Learn some tips for having a successful single audit under the federal Uniform Guidance. This discussion will provide you with an overview of the single audit process—as seen through an auditor’s lens—to help you better prepare for a single audit. It will also include an update on some recent compliance audit trends and findings involving Uniform Guidance compliance requirements to make you aware of potential noncompliance issues to avoid.
Speakers:
Katherine Edwards Decker, Financial Audit Senior, Arizona Auditor General
Kathleen Wood, Financial Audit Technical Manager, Arizona Auditor General
Documents:
Presentation
Board Meeting
4:50 – 5:30 PM | Aster
Reception
5:30 – 7:00 PM | Arizona Foyer
FRIDAY, AUGUST 11
Breakfast
8:00 – 8:50 AM | Arizona Foyer
Fraud, Fraud Controls and Ethics
9:00 – 9:50 AM | Grand Ballroom
1 CPE
Fraud issues in government accounting. Taking a look at the latest fraud schemes and trends for governmental entities, with case studies and suggestions for what your government can do to reduce the likelihood of becoming a victim of fraud.
Speaker:
Brian Hemmerle, Audit Partner, Baker Tilly
Documents:
Presentation
Economic Update
10:00 – 10:50 AM | Grand Ballroom
1 CPE
Join us for an update on the economy, interest rates, and how current financial markets are impacting public agency portfolios. We will cover the fixed income and equity markets.
Speakers:
Annette Gaston, Senior Managing Consultant, PFM Asset Management
Mallory Sampson, Director, PFM Asset Management
Luke Schneider, Managing Director, PFM Asset Management
Documents:
Presentation
Legislative Update
11:00 AM – 11:50 AM | Grand Ballroom
1 CPE
This session will provide an update for members on a variety of timely legislative issues. Representatives from the League of Arizona Cities & Towns will provide an overview of the 2023 legislative session and explain the challenges and opportunities currently facing Arizona cities, towns and counties going forward.
Speaker:
René Guillen, Deputy Director, League of Arizona Cities and Towns
Documents:
Presentation
CPE Forms & Conference Adjourns
12:00 PM
HOTEL
The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa
3800 E Sunrise Dr, Tucson, AZ 85718
The conference rate is $104 plus tax per night for 1-person occupancy. The room block is available for booking through July 18, 2023. To make your hotel reservation, please click this link: https://book.passkey.com/e/50545080
The hotel block fills up fast! We recommend registering and booking your hotel room as soon as possible. Please note that you may only book one room per full conference attendee. The hotel group rate will end July 18. Online registration will close July 28.
Please contact info@gfoaz.org if you have any questions.
RATES
$185 Member: Active, Commercial, Associate
$70 Spouse/Guest
$75 Student Member
$265 Non-member; Government Employee
$380 Non-member, Non-government Employee
$265 GFOAz Sponsor
GFOAz SCHOLARSHIPS
GFOAz is pleased to offer four scholarships to the 2023 Summer Conference. Active members are eligible to apply. Four recipients will receive up to $500 to be used toward reimbursement for registration cost, lodging and travel. For scholarship guidelines and to apply, click here. Please apply by July 14, 2023, to be considered.
Online registration will close on 7/28/23
If you need to pay by check, please contact info@gfoaz.org. Cancellations must be received in writing prior to July 28, 2023, to receive a partial refund. No refunds will be provided after this date.
CANCELLATION
Advance registrants unable to attend the Conference are eligible to receive a partial refund of your registration fee by sending a written request before July 28, 2023. If a written cancellation request is received before July 28, 2023, a $30 processing fee will be charged regardless of the reason for cancellation (including medical emergencies).Registrants who are unable to attend the conference may appoint a substitute. There will be no refunds for any cancellation after July 28, 2023. Cancellations must be emailed to info@gfoaz.org. Cancellations will not be accepted by telephone.